(CNN) – Conservative commentator and author Dinesh D'Souza has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of making illegal contributions to a U.S. Senate campaign.

D'Souza allegedly made and arranged $20,000 in campaign donations to an unnamed campaign in 2012 and then reimbursed those who were directed to make contributions, according to the charges handed up in New York City.

Federal election law limits individual campaign contributions to a federal candidate to $2,500 each for a primary and general election campaign.

The law also bars any person from making contributions in the name of others or reimbursing another person's contribution.

D'Souza, 52, of San Diego, was charged with one count of making illegal campaign donations in the name of others and a second count of making false statements about those donations, authorities said.

"As we have long said, this Office and the FBI take a zero tolerance approach to corruption of the electoral process. If, as alleged, the defendant directed others to make contributions to a Senate campaign and reimbursed them, that is a serious violation of federal campaign finance laws," Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, said in a statement.

D'Souza attorney Benjamin Brafman said in a statement the indictment does not allege a corrupt relationship between his client and the candidate.

"Simply put, there was no 'quid pro quo' in this case, nor was there even any knowledge by the candidate that campaign finance rules may have been violated. Mr. D'Souza did not act with any corrupt or criminal intent whatsoever," Brafman said.

"He and the candidate have been friends since their college days, and at worst, this was an act of misguided friendship by D'Souza," he added.

A noted conservative activist, D'Souza is a former policy adviser to President Ronald Reagan. He also directed a 2012 documentary, "2016: Obama's America," that was highly critical of President Barack Obama and based on his book "The Roots of Obama's Rage."

D'Souza is expected to be arraigned in Manhattan federal court on Friday.

soundoff(44 Responses)

The Real Tom Paine

-Gunderson

Um, Well,
Limiting the amount you can give to a political canidiate is like restricting free speech. That is the only way the low life liberal's can level the playing field. Just ask why many cities are viying for the next Republican Convention. Republican's bring money! Democrats bring brown bags. Republican's provide jobs. Democrats ???
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So, we are to conclude that the rich should be rewarded with even more access and influence to lawmakers simply because they are wealthy? I guess the next step is to score a person's vote based upon their income, with more points being awarded to the wealthy because they are worth more. Another example of how the ammoral Ayn Rand has infected the Right. Its always amazed me that Conservatives always find a way to worship the Golden Calf even when we are talking about elections and the laws that govern us. D' Souza was fired from his job at a college because of unethical behavior, and this seems to be the latest incident in a lifetime of playing fast and loose with the rules and with the facts.

January 24, 2014 09:07 am at 9:07 am |

Malory Archer

Gunderson

Um, Well,
Limiting the amount you can give to a political canidiate is like restricting free speech. That is the only way the low life liberal's can level the playing field. Just ask why many cities are viying for the next Republican Convention. Republican's bring money! Democrats bring brown bags. Republican's provide jobs. Democrats ???

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Every city would like to host a political convention, regardless of political makeup of that city, or the political party scouting them out. Charleston made out like bandits with the fun, carnival-like atmosphere provided by the Democratic Convention in 2012. Tampa, OTOH lost big due to the war zone and safety perimeters demanded by seige-mentality right during the repug convention. As for jobs: you're right – repubs create jobs – far, far away from American shores.

January 24, 2014 09:09 am at 9:09 am |

Rudy NYC

Nice. What a great cup of coffee that was. Are they brewing another pot?

January 24, 2014 09:11 am at 9:11 am |

Malory Archer

smith

@Malory- Battleground Texas(liberal group) is cryin` hit job after they were caught making fun of Texas AG Abbott for being in a wheelchair. Both sides have their bad apples.

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While the liberal group in Texas allegedly made insensitive comments, being a jerk isn't a criminal offense. Making illegal contributions to a U.S. Senate campaign is. Can you say "false equivalence?

January 24, 2014 09:14 am at 9:14 am |

Tampa Tim

Ever notice how right wingnut whiners and cry babies blame everyone else when their heroes are caught? It's always our president who is to blame for right wingers after breaking the law for decades.

January 24, 2014 09:17 am at 9:17 am |

In Minnesota

So, will all the celebrities that donated even larger sums of money to Obama's campaign be indicted as well?

"As we have long said, this Office and the FBI take a zero tolerance approach to corruption of the electoral process" -if... you're a conservative with a successful video critical of the president...

In min., so we just turn our back on persons who factually broke our laws, because he's a Republican. When will you admit you lack the maturity it takes to see beyond your political bias? If you could evenly weigh the evidence, you wouldn't have to get all worked up, but the truth seldom serves you well. Grow up already

January 24, 2014 09:34 am at 9:34 am |

Rudy NYC

In Minnesota

So, will all the celebrities that donated even larger sums of money to Obama's campaign be indicted as well?

"As we have long said, this Office and the FBI take a zero tolerance approach to corruption of the electoral process" -if... you're a conservative with a successful video critical of the president...
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Successful video? LOL There is a difference between donating directly to a campaign and donating to a PAC. If this guy wasn't savvy enough to donate to a PAC, then he probably deserves to go to jail. End of story.

January 24, 2014 09:36 am at 9:36 am |

smith

@Malory-Jesse Jackson Jr. or Blago, is that better? The point was both cry hit job when they get caught.

He must be crazy to think he can go after the POTUS and something not just conveniently happen! He is not as bright has be thought he was.

January 24, 2014 09:47 am at 9:47 am |

Malory Archer

In Minnesota

So, will all the celebrities that donated even larger sums of money to Obama's campaign be indicted as well?

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Do you have evidence of wrongdoing? If so, report them to the authorities.

January 24, 2014 09:50 am at 9:50 am |

Malory Archer

Charleston made out like bandits with the fun, carnival-like atmosphere provided by the Democratic Convention in 2012.

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Actually, it was Charlotte. Early hour + not enough coffee = you do the math.

January 24, 2014 09:52 am at 9:52 am |

Malory Archer

smith

@Malory-Jesse Jackson Jr. or Blago, is that better? The point was both cry hit job when they get caught.

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They're both serving hard time – and NOBODY on the left cried when they went down. In fact the left said if they're guilty let the chips fall where they may. So again, another false equivalence. Seriously, you're making this too easy!

January 24, 2014 09:56 am at 9:56 am |

Rudy NYC

smith

@Malory-Jesse Jackson Jr. or Blago, is that better? The point was both cry hit job when they get caught.
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Jackson did no such thing. When he was busted, he manned up to it. He acknowledged what he did was wrong. The only fight that he put up was to reduce his jail time. Blago claimed that he didn't do anything that no one else does. He didn't think that he did anything wrong, but he never once cried foul or hit job.

It's Republicans who like to play the victim card. Christie played a royal flush of victime cards during his 2 hour talk show. Even Christie's Lt. Gov. played the victim card during her presser about the allegations raised by Hoboken's mayor. She claimed something about how she was also a Sandy victim, and that she took personal offense on behalf of all Sandy victims. Give me a break.

January 24, 2014 09:57 am at 9:57 am |

Hector Slagg

UM, WOW,
Some of you still apologizing for failed liberal politics? Well you can fool all of the people some of the time and some of the people all of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time. Have you looked at the polls lately?

P.S. President Nixon worked for World Peace, Obama another "The Rich ain't Paying Their Fair Share" Speech. Now why are the "Know Nothings" Inditing this person. Clue. It is Politics plain and simple. What is Obama and the Liberal's afraid of? Maybe they don't believe in free speech.

Tampa Tim says:
January 24, 2014 09:17 am at 9:17 am
Ever notice how right wingnut whiners and cry babies blame everyone else when their heroes are caught? It’s always our president who is to blame for right wingers after breaking the law for decades.
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Another poor, helpless, conservative victim of Big, bad Obama. When there is just an inkling about a democrat, the GOP jumps all over it even if there's no proof, but if it's one of them, they're being targeted.

It reminds me of Mitt and the MSM crying about big, bad Obama attacking poor wittle Mittens AFTER Mitt started the attack ads.

Cry me a river GOP.

January 24, 2014 10:08 am at 10:08 am |

Malory Archer

Hector Slagg

UM, WOW,
Some of you still apologizing for failed liberal politics?

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What "failed liberal politics" and examples please of apologies – and ONLY from this particular message thread because obviously you've seen them here!